Research Initiation Grant: Improving Attitudes towards Engineering Via Aesthetics

这项工程教育研究启动基金旨在探索如何通过工程团队中艺术系学生的参与来教授工程流体动力学。本研究探讨了学生对流体力学认知的发展，并通过对学习结果和记忆的影响，将所学知识与传统的数学方法进行了对比。将进行混合方法研究和知觉训练研究，以探索专业知识的发展。这个项目更广泛的意义和重要性来自于这种替代教学法的潜力，它可以解决目前工程专业学生的动机和保留率低于同龄人的问题。结合来自视觉艺术和工程背景的学生来探索流体问题，可能会让更多的人了解工程学。该项目与NSF的战略目标重叠，即通过培养具有新能力和专业知识的工程人才来改变前沿。此外，NSF的社会创新目标是通过建设国家公民通过工程解决社会挑战的能力来实现的。

This engineering education research initiation grant seeks to explore how engineering fluid dynamics can be taught by engaging students from the arts on engineering teams. The study explore development of students' perception of fluid mechanics, contrasting what is learned with more traditional, mathematical approaches via the impact on learning outcomes and retention. A mixed-methods study and perceptual training study will be conducted to explore expertise development. The broader significance and importance of this project arises through the potential for such alternative pedagogies to address both motivation and retention of students who are currently retained in engineering at a lower rate than peers. Combining students from visual arts and engineering backgrounds to explore fluid problems may lead to insights on communicating engineering to a broader audience. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goals of transforming the frontiers through preparation of an engineering workforce with new capabilities and expertise. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by building the capacity of the nation's citizenry for addressing societal challenges through engineering.